scholarly journals Skin-on-a-Chip Technology for Testing Transdermal Drug Delivery—Starting Points and Recent Developments

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1852
Author(s):  
Zsófia Varga-Medveczky ◽  
Dorottya Kocsis ◽  
Márton Naszlady ◽  
Katalin Fónagy ◽  
Franciska Erdő

During the last decades, several technologies were developed for testing drug delivery through the dermal barrier. Investigation of drug penetration across the skin can be important in topical pharmaceutical formulations and also in cosmeto-science. The state-of- the-art in the field of skin diffusion measurements, different devices, and diffusion platforms used, are summarized in the introductory part of this review. Then the methodologies applied at Pázmány Péter Catholic University are shown in detail. The main testing platforms (Franz diffusion cells, skin-on-a-chip devices) and the major scientific projects (P-glycoprotein interaction in the skin; new skin equivalents for diffusion purposes) are also presented in one section. The main achievements of our research are briefly summarized: (1) new skin-on-a-chip microfluidic devices were validated as tools for drug penetration studies for the skin; (2) P-glycoprotein transport has an absorptive orientation in the skin; (3) skin samples cannot be used for transporter interaction studies after freezing and thawing; (4) penetration of hydrophilic model drugs is lower in aged than in young skin; (5) mechanical sensitization is needed for excised rodent and pig skins for drug absorption measurements. Our validated skin-on-a-chip platform is available for other research groups to use for testing and for utilizing it for different purposes.

2011 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1371-1375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xueqian Wang ◽  
Brian T Hawkins ◽  
David S Miller

Upregulation of blood-brain barrier (BBB) P-glycoprotein expression causes central nervous system (CNS) pharmacoresistance. However, activation of BBB protein kinase C-β1 (PKC-β1) rapidly reduces basal P-glycoprotein transport activity. We tested whether PKC-β1 activation would reverse CNS drug resistance caused by dioxin acting through aryl hydrocarbon receptor. A selective PKC-β1 agonist abolished the increase in P-glycoprotein activity induced by dioxin in isolated rat brain capillaries and reversed the effect of dioxin on brain uptake of verapamil in dioxin-dosed rats. Thus, targeting BBB PKC-β1 may be an effective strategy to improve drug delivery to the brain, even in drug-resistant individuals.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 919-954 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raluca Ianchis ◽  
Claudia Mihaela Ninciuleanu ◽  
Ioana Catalina Gifu ◽  
Elvira Alexandrescu ◽  
Cristina Lavinia Nistor ◽  
...  

The present review aims to summarize the research efforts undertaken in the last few years in the development and testing of hydrogel-clay nanocomposites proposed as carriers for controlled release of diverse drugs. Their advantages, disadvantages and different compositions of polymers/biopolymers with diverse types of clays, as well as their interactions are discussed. Illustrative examples of studies regarding hydrogel-clay nanocomposites are detailed in order to underline the progressive researches on hydrogel-clay-drug pharmaceutical formulations able to respond to a series of demands for the most diverse applications. Brief descriptions of the different techniques used for the characterization of the obtained complex hybrid materials such as: swelling, TGA, DSC, FTIR, XRD, mechanical, SEM, TEM and biology tests, are also included. Enlightened by the presented data, we can suppose that hydrogel-clay nanocomposites will still be a challenging subject of global assiduous researches. We can dare to dream to an efficient drug delivery platform for the treatment of multiple affection concomitantly, these being undoubtedly like ”a tree of life” bearing different kinds of fruits and leaves proper for human healing.


2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (22) ◽  
pp. 3181-3190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Yan ◽  
Chongya Hu ◽  
Xunwei Liu ◽  
Jian Zhong ◽  
Gang Sun ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Drashti Patel ◽  
Bappaditya Chatterjee

: Transfersomes are bilayer vesicles composed of phospholipid and edge-activators, which are mostly surfactant. Transfersomes based drug delivery system has gained a lot of interest of the pharmaceutical researchers for their ability to improve drug penetration and permeation through the skin. Transdermal drug delivery via transfersomes has the potential to overcome the challenge of low systemic availability. However, this complex vesicular system has different issues to consider for developing a successful transdermal delivery system. One of the major ingredients, phospholipid has versatile sources and variable effect on the vesicle size and drug entrapment in transfersomes. The other one termed as edge-activator or surfactant has some crucial consideration of skin damage and toxicity depending upon its type and concentration. A complex interaction between type and concentration of phospholipid and surfactant was observed, which affect the physicochemical properties of transfersomes. This review focuses on the practical factors related to these two major ingredients such as phospholipid and surfactant. The origin, purity, desired concentration, the susceptibility of degradation, etc. are the important factors for selecting phospholipid. Regarding surfactants, the major aspects are type and desired concentration. A successful development of transfersomes based drug delivery system depends on the proper considerations of these factors and practical aspects.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 885-901
Author(s):  
Shubham Thakur ◽  
Amrinder Singh ◽  
Ritika Sharma ◽  
Rohan Aurora ◽  
Subheet Kumar Jain

Background: Surfactants are an important category of additives that are used widely in most of the formulations as solubilizers, stabilizers, and emulsifiers. Current drug delivery systems comprise of numerous synthetic surfactants (such as Cremophor EL, polysorbate 80, Transcutol-P), which are associated with several side effects though used in many formulations. Therefore, to attenuate the problems associated with conventional surfactants, a new generation of surface-active agents is obtained from the metabolites of fungi, yeast, and bacteria, which are termed as biosurfactants. Objectives: In this article, we critically analyze the different types of biosurfactants, their origin along with their chemical and physical properties, advantages, drawbacks, regulatory status, and detailed pharmaceutical applications. Methods: 243 papers were reviewed and included in this review. Results: Briefly, Biosurfactants are classified as glycolipids, rhamnolipids, sophorolipids, trehalolipids, surfactin, lipopeptides & lipoproteins, lichenysin, fatty acids, phospholipids, and polymeric biosurfactants. These are amphiphilic biomolecules with lipophilic and hydrophilic ends and are used as drug delivery vehicles (foaming, solubilizer, detergent, and emulsifier) in the pharmaceutical industry. Despite additives, they have some biological activity as well (anti-cancer, anti-viral, anti-microbial, P-gp inhibition, etc.). These biomolecules possess better safety profiles and are biocompatible, biodegradable, and specific at different temperatures. Conclusion: Biosurfactants exhibit good biomedicine and additive properties that can be used in developing novel drug delivery systems. However, more research should be driven due to the lack of comprehensive toxicity testing and high production cost which limits their use.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dickson Pius Wande ◽  
Qin Cui ◽  
Shijie Chen ◽  
Cheng Xu ◽  
Hui Xiong ◽  
...  

: As a unique and pleiotropic polymer, d-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (Tocophersolan) is a polymeric synthetic version of vitamin E. Tocophersolan has attracted enormous attention as a versatile excipient in different biomedical applications including drug delivery systems and nutraceuticals. The multiple inherent properties of Tocophersolan make it play flexible roles in drug delivery system design, including excipients with outstanding biocompatibility, solubilizer with the ability of promoting drug dissolution, drug permeation enhancer, P-glycoprotein inhibitor and anticancer compound. For these reasons, Tocophersolan has been widely used for improving the bioavailability of numerous pharmaceutical active ingredients. Tocophersolan has been approved by stringent regulatory authorities (such as US FDA, EMA, and PMDA) as a safe pharmaceutical excipient. In this review, we systematically curated current advances in nano-based delivery systems consisting of Tocophersolan with possibilities for futuristic applications in drug delivery, gene therapy, and nanotheranostic.


Biosensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Iulia Rus ◽  
Mihaela Tertiș ◽  
Cristina Barbălată ◽  
Alina Porfire ◽  
Ioan Tomuță ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to develop a disposable, simple, fast, and sensitive sensor for the simultaneous electrochemical detection of doxorubicin (DOX) and simvastatin (SMV), which could be used in preclinical studies for the development of new pharmaceutical formulations for drug delivery. Firstly, the electrochemical behavior of each molecule was analyzed regarding the influence of electrode material, electrolyte solution, and scan rate. After this, the proper electrode material, electrolyte solution, and scan rate for both active substances were chosen, and a linear sweep voltammetry procedure was optimized for simultaneous detection. Two chronoamperometry procedures were tested, one for the detection of DOX in the presence of SMV, and the other one for the detection of DOX and SMV together. Finally, calibration curves for DOX and SMV in the presence of each other were obtained using both electrochemical methods and the results were compared. The use of amperometry allowed for a better limit of detection (DOX: 0.1 μg/mL; SMV: 0.7 μg/mL) than the one obtained in voltammetry (1.5 μg/mL for both drugs). The limits of quantification using amperometry were 0.5 μg/mL for DOX (dynamic range: 0.5–65 μg/mL) and 2 μg/mL for SMV (dynamic range: 2–65 μg/mL), while using voltammetry 1 μg/mL was obtained for DOX (dynamic range: 1–100 μg/mL) and 5 μg/mL for SMV (dynamic range: 5–100 μg/mL). This detection strategy represents a promising tool for the analysis of new pharmaceutical formulations for targeted drug delivery containing both drugs, whose association was proven to bring benefits in the treatment of cancer.


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